Inspired by a fellow woodworker, Microsoft MVP Jen Kuntz, Steve Endow, a Microsoft MVP for Dynamics GP, decided to share his own woodworking creation: a custom stand for his Surface Pro 4.

Endow needed a stand for his Surface Pro that would allow him to work comfortably while standing. However, the available space only had a small table, necessitating a compact and portable solution. Traditional lecterns were unsuitable due to their bulky size and angled tops, which could cause his device and mouse to slide off.

To address these specific needs, he designed a simple yet functional stand with a flat top and foldable legs. Using SketchUp, he created a design that prioritized simplicity and ease of construction. The initial plan involved attaching folding legs to the back piece with hinges, enabling the stand to be set up and folded away quickly. The top would also be hinged, allowing it to fold down for storage.

During initial testing, Endow realized the need for an additional folding stand at the back to prevent tipping.

With the design finalized, he aimed for a compact storage solution where the legs would fold flat, and the hinged top would fold down, incorporating a convenient carry handle for easy transport and setup.

Utilizing leftover wood scraps from previous projects, Endow found a maple plywood piece for the top, poplar for the center back, and select pine scraps for the folding legs.

He adjusted the dimensions slightly to accommodate the narrower pine pieces. After cutting the wood to size, he decided to simplify the design by omitting the tapered legs.

Endow used a Festool Domino to join the folding legs, highlighting his preference for this method over pocket hole screws, even though the latter would have sufficed.

While acknowledging the setup time required for the Domino, he appreciated the superior results achieved.

After gluing and clamping the legs, he shifted his attention to the top piece.

The plywood scrap fit the design dimensions perfectly, eliminating the need for further cutting. The only modification required was cutting out the handle.

Endow sketched the handle’s outline and used a large forstner bit to create the initial handle hole.

Instead of the typical jigsaw, Endow chose his new compact router with a spiral up cut bit to cut the remaining piece for the handle.

Although the cut wasn’t perfect, he deemed it satisfactory for the project. Adding a touch of finesse, he used the router to chamfer the handle’s edges.

He then diligently sanded the wood to smooth out any rough edges.

Further chamfering around the top edges followed, showcasing his newfound enthusiasm for the router.

Before final assembly, he did a test fit to ensure all the pieces aligned correctly.

Endow then acquired hinges from Home Depot, opting for practicality over aesthetics by choosing standard hinges over piano hinges.

With the hinges secured, the stand was fully functional.

It folded neatly into a compact form.

Lightweight and easy to carry with the handle.

He tested the stand with his Surface Pro and mouse and found it worked perfectly.

To address the potential tipping issue discovered during testing, he added an extra stand at the back using another plywood scrap and the remaining hinge.

As a final enhancement, Endow planned to embed neodymium magnets into the legs and the underside of the table to secure the legs in place. An additional magnet would keep the back stand folded flat when not in use.